2000 Jeep Cherokee overheated and won’t start

Was driving my Jeep on the highway @~75mph, engine overheated and smoke began pouring from the hood. Pulled over to the side of the road to let the engine cool down and something in the front of the car popped and liquid was all over beneath the jeep and inside the hood. After the jeep cooled down it started back up fine, just with a weird odor. Moved the jeep off the highway at the next exit as the engine began clicking and called a tow truck. Now the jeeps engine will crank but will not start. Possible problems, solutions, and estimated cost for repair?

My car has 170000 miles.
My car h

Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hi there. If the vehicle overheated, and you noticed a lot of coolant on the ground, it’s quite possible that either the radiator broke, a coolant hose broke or the radiator cap was damaged. When this happens, a lot of coolant spills on your hot motor (which is the odor you are smelling). This can also cause damage to critical electrical parts that help the engine start and run. It’s probably a good idea to have a professional mechanic come to your location and complete a car is hard to start inspection, so they can determine what is damaged and needs to be repaired to resolve your problems. Without knowing what is damaged, it’s hard to provide an estimate for repairs.

How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?

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If your car won`t start after overheating, there`s a good chance you have a blown gasket, which is a very serious issue. Keeping your engine at the proper temperature is vital to keeping it running correctly. Overheating is usually caused by a problem with the coolant system.
A damaged fuel system is the most common reason an overheated engine may not start. A faulty system can cause the motor to get hot and produce heat and vapor, which creates difficulty for the fuel to circulate in the engine. Blown head gasket. A blown head gasket could also be a significant cause of overheating.
The most common reasons a Jeep Cherokee won`t start are a dead battery, an alternator problem, or failed starter.
Find an ideal spot, turn off the engine, and stop the car. Check the coolant level and if there is no leak, add coolant. If there is a leak, get help from a professional, as it is a serious issue. Start the car once the issue is solved, or get the vehicle towed if the issue persists.
It typically takes a solid 30 minutes for an engine to cool down enough for it to be safe to handle. If you`d rather let a professional handle the problem, it`s time to call for a tow truck. Once the engine has cooled, check the coolant tank. It`s usually a translucent plastic tank near the radiator.
The most common reasons a Jeep Cherokee is overheating are a coolant leak (water pump, radiator, hose etc.), the radiator fan, or a failed thermostat.
The most common causes for a Jeep failing to start despite its radio and lights working are issues relating to its battery or other cranking/start-up components, such as the ignition switch, starter, or spark plug. These pieces might be damaged, dirty, or corroded.
First of all, driving an overheated car can do more damage and make the problem worse. And secondly, even if your car does eventually cool down, it`s not necessarily safe to drive it. So, if your car ever does overheat, it`s best to pull over and call for a tow truck.
If your car is overheating, you should definitely not drive it. This could be due to several factors, including low coolant levels or a faulty cooling system. Driving an overheated car puts additional strain on the engine, leading to further damage and costly repairs down the road.
If the coolant leaks out too much, the computer will see this from the coolant temperature and coolant level sensors and shut off the engine to prevent any damage to the engine. Check for the coolant leaks and top off the coolant when the leak is fixed. Then recheck the engines condition to see if it stalls out again.
Yes, heat can drain car batteries!
How long can a car overheat before damage occurs? It only takes 30-60 seconds of overheating for permanent damage to infiltrate a vehicle. As soon as you notice signs of overheating, you need to act. Failure to do so might result in troubles like coolant leaks, damaged radiator caps, and a faulty cooling fan.
Some of the other common causes of Jeep Cherokee overheating include: Broken radiator fan. Broken thermostat. Oil too low.
Why won`t my car start but the battery is good? If your car won`t start but the battery is good, the most common cause is a faulty starter – though it could also be to do with your fuel. You may have insufficient fuel to get the car going.
Car Won`t Start:

If your car doesn`t start, it could be because your radiator is overheating. Your car`s engine can seize if it gets too hot. If you think this might be the problem, have your vehicle towed to a mechanic so they can take a look. Don`t ignore these bad radiator symptoms!

It could be a bad battery, failing starter, or some other component in the electrical chain that comprises the starting system. The starter typically consists of two main components: the motor itself and a solenoid used to switch positive battery voltage to a motor terminal.
If your vehicle won`t start, it`s usually caused by a dying or dead battery, loose or corroded connection cables, a bad alternator or an issue with the starter. It can be hard to determine if you`re dealing with a battery or an alternator problem.
Let old oil circulate through your vehicle long enough and often enough, and it`s possible you could end up with serious (and expensive) engine troubles. However, no or low engine oil levels are more likely to cause a car not to start than old oil is.
Slow engine cranking – When you attempt to start your Jeep, especially when it`s cold outside, it cranks over slowly. This is a classic sign of a failing battery. The battery “dies” easily – If your Jeep isn`t running and you leave your lights on, the battery should power the lights for 10-15 minutes.
If you continue to drive an overheated car, you run the risk of warping your cylinder heads. This result is decreased power, misfiring, and excessive oil burning. However, cylinder heads aren`t the only things in your engine that can melt; other components like sensors, belts, and wiring are also at risk.
Repeated overheating can be a sign of serious engine damage. Repeated use of an overheated engine can accelerate that damage rapidly. In extreme heat, core parts of the vehicle`s engine can crack, warp, and fail — resulting in instant death to your vehicle`s powerplant.
Without the right amount of oil, your engine becomes more vulnerable to overheating. Since there`s not enough oil circulating through the engine, there`s no way for the engine to shed that excess heat. This can lead to heat soak, where certain engine components overheat and eventually deform due to the stress.
Under normal circumstances, it takes a minimum of 30 minutes for an overheated engine to cool down to a temperature where it is safe to inspect it and potentially work on it.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

2000 Jeep Cherokee overheated and won’t start
ANSWER : Hi there. If the vehicle overheated, and you noticed a lot of coolant on the ground, it’s quite possible that either the radiator broke, a coolant hose broke or the radiator cap was damaged. When this happens, a lot of coolant spills on your hot motor (which is the odor you are smelling). This can also cause damage to critical electrical parts that help the engine start and run. It’s probably a good idea to have a professional mechanic come to your location and complete a car is hard to start inspection, so they can determine what is damaged and needs to be repaired to resolve your problems. Without knowing what is damaged, it’s hard to provide an estimate for repairs.

Vehicle won’t start, once it’s jump started it only stays running until you turn it off, then it work start again without jumping.
ANSWER : Hi there. There could be two problems here. It is possible that your battery is bad and will not take a charge from your alternator while driving. In that case every time you shut your car off you will not have enough juice to start it again. Inspect your battery – it should have at least 12.5 to 13 volts to start your car, if it doesn’t you will need to replace the battery. The second problem could be that your alternator is bad and not charging your battery, in this case you will need to replace your alternator. Both the battery and the alternator can be tested in your car. If you would like to have the car checked for you, a certified professional from YourMechanic can come to your car’s location to diagnose the starting problem and proceed with repairs.

I have a 2000 jeep grand Cherokee limited 4.7L V8. I was gone for a month in a half tried starting my jeep up yesterday and nothin
ANSWER : It may be normal engine electrical drain on the battery if the vehicle sat for a month or more. Once the battery is recharged fully then you can see if it will idle again. Just jumping off and only running a few minutes may not charge the battery enough to let it idle on its own. You should use a battery charger to recharge battery and retest it to see if it still stalls. You may have a bad battery and need to relearn the idle. If it still stalls then the idle control valve may be stuck closed and need to be replaced.

Fuel pump engages. Batery good, alternator good volts, jump start helps when wont start. Temp does not matter. Intermittent?
ANSWER : Hello. Thank you for writing in. There are several reasons your vehicle may only start when jump starting. The first and most common is a build up of resistance that is causing you to need a boost of voltage to get the engine started. This may be due to poor battery cables, a bad ground connection, a poor starter solenoid, and a couple of other issues. The first thing you want to do is perform a visual inspection of the starting system. Make sure there is no corrosion build up in the battery cables. You can also check the resistance across these wires and make sure you have a solid connection between components. You then want to make sure the starter solenoid is doing its job. It is responsible for taking the small amount of electricity sent by the ignition and turning it into a huge electrical charge that is strong enough to push over the engine with the help of some gear ratios in its favor. Do some more testing, and stick to the basics before assuming its something seriously complicated.

My car won’t start, neither does my auto. Start. Sometime it might start if I jump it sometimes it won’t.
ANSWER : Hi there. There are a number of issues that will make a car hard to start. Everything from the electrical system to the fuel system to the actual starter itself can be the problem. Finding the root cause of a hard starting engine can take some investigation. Ignoring a hard starting issue can further damage the vehicle, which will often result in a more expensive repair. You might want to have a mobile mechanic complete a car is hard to start inspection so they can pinpoint the source of the issues you’re having and recommend the right repairs be completed.

The car crank but won’t start
ANSWER : Hi there. This does sound like an issue with the wiring. If the check engine light is coming on every now and then this means that when it does not come on there is no power to the computer. This can be the wiring harness issue or an ignition switch problem. I would have to test for voltage to the computer when the problem is occurring to be able to find where the issue lies. If you need assistance, a certified YourMechanic technician can be dispatched to your location to inspect your vehicle’s non-start issue and suggest any necessary repairs.

Car won’t start. When trying to start, starter makes a clicking noise and then closed back hatch recloses.
ANSWER : It sounds like there is some type of drain on the battery. When there is low voltage in a battery, it can cause several symptoms. The electrical systems can act very strangely when they don’t have the correct voltage being supplied. When a battery won’t hold a charge, it can be caused by a wiring issue, a bad battery, or some type of parasitic draw that can slowly pull voltage from the battery. Some electrical diagnosis done by a professional, such as one from YourMechanic, will be necessary to pinpoint the cause.

my 2003 saturn ion won’t start. it cranks but won’t start.
ANSWER : Hi there:

If you checked the oil and determined that there was no oil in the car, it’s quite possible that some internal engine components have seized up; which means there might be serious engine damage internally. Before you attempt to crank it again, please contact a professional mobile mechanic to complete a car is hard to start inspection; so they can pinpoint what is the source of your issues before it causes more damage.